Marco Polo Tee (bookplate), 1926

This is a fine color plate from the rare, authoritative book on the work of Hohlwein by Professor Frenzel, 1926. Ludwig Hohlwein was one of the seminal figures in the history of poster art and graphic design. The endlessly creative artist and decorator was originally trained as an architect but, in 1904 at the age of 30, turned his attention to advertising.

Completely self-taught as a graphic designer, he was strongly influenced by the revolutionary work of the Beggarstaff Brothers in England and rejected the decorative flourishes of the preceding Art Nouveau style. A master illustrator, Hohlwein created rich characterizations that were emboldened by flat, geometric patterns of striking color. Highly productive, Hohlwein created more than 400 original posters. Leading poster historian Alain Weill considers him "the most prolific and brilliant German posterist of the 20th century."